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Readers express optimism for molecular diagnostics
How much will the advent of molecular technologies change the field of in vitro diagnostics? Quite a bit, according to the results of an informal survey conducted among members of the IVD Technology editorial advisory and reader boards.
Figure 1. Expectations of survey respondents for the percentage of diagnostic testing to be converted to molecular technologies by 2010.
According to the survey respondents, a large segment of the current market for diagnostic testing will likely be converted to some form of molecular technology by the year 2010. More than 60% of those responding believe that molecular technologies will displace at least 15% of the tests currently on the market (see Figure 1).
Figure 2. Expectations of survey respondents for additional growth in IVD markets by 2010 as a result of the use of molecular technologies.
At the same time, respondents also expressed optimism for future growth as a result of the adoption of molecular technologies. More than half of those responding believe that the new technologies will result in at least 15% additional growth in the IVD market (see Figure 2).
Although the cost of molecular testing remains an issue among healthcare payers and providers responsible for large-scale disease screening, respondents to IVDT's questionnaire are overwhelmingly confident that this obstacle will be overcome. Asked whether molecular diagnostics will offer a competitive alternative to more-traditional types of diagnostic testing, 89% of respondents indicated that they would.
The responses were offered as part of the survey conducted for every issue of IVDT. More than 100 industry specialists serve as members of the editorial advisory and reader boards, which provide advice on the editorial content and direction of the publication.--Steve Halasey
